Damien "Dangerous" Savage
Current Info Damien works as a bouncer at the roadhouse Backstory “Dangerous” Damien Savage is from Van Zandt, played High School Football and in 1950 became one of the first students of a retired, world famous professional wrestler Dominic Giovanni. After training with von Erich for a while, he embarked on a moderately successful wrestling career, performing for various companies in territories all over the United States. His highest honor in the States came when he won the American Wrestling Association hevyweight title, a title which he held for three months before dropping it to the AWA owner's son. He floated around aimlessly for a while after that, then based on advice from Dominic, his old trainer, Damien took a chance and flew to Japan for a tryout with the Japanese Pro Wrestling Alliance. Rikidozan, the promotion's owner liked Damien's size, but it was not at all common for a Gaijin to compete in JPWA at this time. Rikizodan had Damien put on a mask, and renamed him "Doctor Texas" (the name loses something in the translation). Savage then had to prove himself against multiple opponents who were angry that this outsider had come in and was trying to take their hard-earned spot. From 1966 to 1971, "Doctor Texas" worked his way to the top of the Japanese wrestling world. Japanese fans loved the fact that this big American was willing to perform any and all acts of violence that they wanted. Day in and day out, Doctor Texas put his health and career on the line in matches featuring barbed wire ropes, exploding ring posts, flaming metal chairs, and all other sorts of career-shortening implements The money came fast, and the money went just as fast due to Damien's lack of self-discipline, and in 1972, he ended up taking out a loan from some very bad men. Simultaneously, the JPWA started to have financial troubles and later that year, the company was sold to New Japan Pro Wrestling. In his final match, Doc would be facing Yoshimitsu Takahara, New Japan's world champion. Takahara also had developed problems with the same very bad men as Doc, and this would ultimately lead to Doc's exile. One of the representatives of the holders of Doc's debt told him that if he would legitimately injuire Takahara in their match, Doc's debt would be forgiven. Doc was scheduled to lose that match, as New Japan had no interest in hiring him, but during the final exchanges of a bloody brawl, Doc used his signature move, The Western Lariat (a running, clubbing blow across the face) to break Takahara's jaw. Takahara was knocked out cold, and Doc exited the arena to a chorus of boos from the normally adoring Japanese crowd. Purposely injuring an opponent is a cardinal sin in the wrestling business, and Doc knew he would be blackballed, and possibly "accidentally" killed or injured by an opponent if he ever wrestled in Japan again. He moved back home to Van Zandt in 1973, and has taken mostly security and bouncer work.